BLOG: When Instagram-worthy vacations go wrong

If you’re like me, your social media feed has been filled with people’s vacation photos lately. From sandy beaches to mountains to national monuments, there are tons of perfect Instagram-worthy photos to see online.

On a recent trip to the mountains, I was hoping to get a good photo too. “What better place to take a social media-friendly photo than on a river rafting adventure?” I thought.

So there we were. I raft down a river – not even one of the most advanced rapids – and wait for my photo moment in the sun. Suddenly our raft got stuck on a rock. Despite our rafting guide’s best efforts, our raft capsized and we all fell into the cool water.

Now, with all this heat wave, the cold water was actually refreshing; and the moment was funny when we were all on land. But I never got that perfect photo moment.

Has this ever happened to you? I’m not just saying your boat capsizes. I mean, did your long-awaited Instagram moment go wrong? Or perhaps worse, the “dream vacation” or experience you had in mind was completely ruined by poor settings, wrong turns, or other mishaps.

It seems that a lot happens in life. All of us fall into pits – some serious, some not so serious. For some it was our own sin that put us in a pit. For others it was bad luck. Other bad people doing bad things put them there.

Whatever the case, when that happens, remember the Lord is watching over us. The Bible says in Psalm 40:1-4:

I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my scream.

He lifted me from the slimy pit, from mud and swamp; He put my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.

He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and trust in the Lord.

Blessed is he who trusts in the LORD, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn to false gods.

I love these verses. Notice when we desperately call on the Lord, He’s the one picking us up. He is the one who puts us on a solid foundation. Not only that, He puts a song of praise on our lips.

Has your life gotten worse lately? It could be in your relationships, your finances, or your health. Whatever pit you find yourself in, call on the Lord in prayer for help. Look to Him to save and restore you.

If you do, you still might not have an Instagram-worthy image from it. But you will immediately find yourself in a better boat by following His will and His word.